Progress Warrants Celebration

During a prior blog post (Release & Scrub), I shared about service received and my expectations getting in the way of being present. This is also about service and with a different outcome. 

I was standing in line at a store to return an item ordered online. The person helping me was unable to process the carefully captured screenshot prior to going to the store. The manager could not seem to figure it out either, so they resorted to calling their .com helpline - the same helpline that you and I call. It’s pre-holiday time, a Saturday, and wait times on the phone go on and on as it is. I suggest I go do my shopping and come back. I do, and when I return she is still on hold. 

At this point there are many choices I can make. I make the choice to not become impatient, to remain present and kind, despite this taking over 30 minutes. I go online and initiate a chat with the help desk. Meanwhile, I once again show the details of the order to the representative, and point out a product code that she had overlooked when this transaction started 30 minutes ago. The chat offers a free return from my home, and while tempting, for environmental reasons I do not want to do this. The person helping tries the code I offer again and this time it works! Refund issued. 

I am grateful for stepping away and for making the choice to be patient. I am also aware of thoughts that were less than pleasant such as ‘I’ll never get this 30 minutes back’, ‘why is this so complicated?’. And yet somehow in that moment I am able to reframe the situation and try to offer assistance versus moving into demanding, impatient, an old habitual pattern that it is time to shed as it does not serve me and damages other people. It was a conscious choice and one that I could make by stepping away and then coming back to the situation with a more compassionate perspective. I am reminded again and again of Ram Dass’ quote “we are all just walking each other home” and of the spiritual practice of ahimsa, practice radical kindness always. 

Consider joining me for a 6 week virtual journey into the spiritual disciplines. These practices have me invited back to them again and again, a powerful guidepost in my life and the lives of thousands of people.